Programmable automatic controllers for glassware machines are known. Examples of such prior art controllers using electronic timing circuits are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,907 to Quinn et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,703 to Kwiatkowski et al., both of which are assigned to the assignee of this application. Such prior art controllers do not include an easily used and simple means for adjusting the time of operation of the various elements in a machine cycle while the machine is operating and, accordingly, lack the flexibility desired in an automatic controller. In addition, a number of prior art controllers, including the two electronic controllers disclosed in the above patents, have storage means in which the component activation/deactivation times are stored in locations which define the operation of particular components. In the operation of these prior art controllers, for each incrementation of cycle time, the incremented time is compared with the contents of at least one location of the storage means. A favorable comparison produces an enable signal, updating the status of an appropriate component control latch circuit and, therefore, the status of the component. The number of electrical components necessary for such controllers is large, and interconnection of the electrical components is complex. A further drawback of prior art controllers is that the adjustment of the timing of operation of various components in the machine cycle is related to actual cycle time. Data can only be entered in the storage means during a fixed period of each cycle in such controllers, resulting in inflexibility of operation and the possibility of delay in updating the data results.
Subsequent controllers have provided a more simplified and efficient means for adjusting the time of actuation of components by means of a controller and have provided an automatic controller in which the data can be updated independent of machine cycle speed. Such automatic controllers have included timing means for generating a digital signal in synchronism with the operation of the machine being controlled, and the digital signal provides an instantaneous indication of the time elapsed in each cycle of operation of the machine. A random access memory stores the operational or on/off status of every component at each increment of time. The statuses are stored at locations identifiable with the machine cycle time to which the stored status relates. The digital signal addresses the RAM so that the statuses of all components for the corresponding times are directed to drivers to produce actuation signals for the various section components. Drivers and interfacing circuitry were required to operate the air solenoids for each of the individual components. Such a machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,371 to Wood et al., also assigned to the assignee of this application.